The Napa Valley Register gives its predictions on what will be trending in the world of wine this year. It looks as if mixers, sparkling, and sweetness are making a comeback, which no doubt will please Messrs. Bartles and Jaymes. [Napa Valley Register]

Whisky Advocate reports that Crown Royal is entering the single barrel market, a first for the Canadian brand. Crown Royal Single Barrel Whisky comes in at a sturdy 51.5% ABV and a price tag of about $55. The first 500+ barrels have been already issued, each of which are exclusive to a particular retailer — and only in Texas. Our review will be up in short order. [Whisky Advocate]

Like most people, the staff here at Drinkhacker tend to other jobs throughout the day unrelated to our love of all things spirited and yeasty. However, there are a select few souls whose job is to sit around all day and drink bourbon. CNBC takes a closer look at one of them, Brown-Forman’s Master Distiller-in-training, Marianne Barnes. [CNBC]

And finally today, NPR takes a look into the trend and recent demand for aged beers. Not sure how big of a trend this will become, but if the demand for aged bourbon/scotch is any indication, don’t be surprised if it keeps rising. [NPR]

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We’ve heard the phrase “new year, new you” all over Twitter in the past few days, and that’s good news to hear. We can think of many people who need to take this mantra to heart. One company really going for it in ’15 is Great Lakes Brewing, which has announced a total overhaul of its packaging, and released its seasonal schedule for the entire year. [Beer Pulse]

• If you’re in the UK, it might be a good idea to switch from vodka to something else this year. A warning has been issued over deadly, fake vodka now on sale around the country. [Telegraph UK]

• Finally — and most importantly today — while you’re enjoying New Year’s Eve, please do be mindful to enjoy in moderation. And should you find yourself being a bit overserved, do err on the side of caution and find a ride home. There are plenty of local free ride services available, and we want you back for more fun in 2015. Have a safe and happy time kissing 2014 goodbye!

• The Wall Street Journal takes a look at some of the ideas companies are using to sell their wares. From chairs to a vapor mist made from Johnnie Walker Blue, it seems as if the gimmicks are becoming more outlandish year after year. [Wall Street Journal]

Heaven Hill is getting a new logo in time for its 80th anniversary. Not content with a new Web 3.0 visual rebranding, the company is also renaming itself Heaven Hill Brands to reflect the diversity of its brand portfolio. Kinda looks like a sign you’d see for a company hawking whiskey in heaven… which, I guess, is fitting.

Things aren’t all bad for Maker’s parent company though. Profits seem to be on the up, and the company is planning yet another stillhouse/tourism center. Meetings about a potential “urban stillhouse” are scheduled to happen today between Beam and the Kentucky Tourism Finance Authority today, with the location tentatively scheduled to be on 4th Street in downtown Louisville. [Courier-Journal]

In other bourbon news, Buffalo Trace is getting ready to release the final batches in the 2014 campaign of its long-running Experimental Collection. According to a press release sent to us yesterday:

The Warehouse Floors Experiment was started in 2001, when Buffalo Trace filled 15 barrels with their Wheat Bourbon Mash Bill and placed five barrels on floors one, five, and nine of Warehouse K. This brick warehouse has nine wooden floors in total and was chosen for this experiment due to the variety of tastes it provides during the aging process. “This experiment was an interesting comparison to our rye bourbon warehouse floors experiment, especially since both were aged in the same warehouse and on the same floors, said Harlen Wheatley, master distiller. “As with the rye bourbon experiment, the higher floors yielded a different taste profile than the lower floors, giving us a richer and full bodied taste. Also, we noticed a higher evaporation rate on the wheat recipe experiment vs the rye bourbon recipe experiment. The wheat evaporated between 42-51% over the twelve years, depending on what floor the barrel was aged. The rye experiment evaporated between 25-49% over the twelve years, with significantly less on the lower floors. This higher evaporation rate is expected in wheated recipes, but it’s interesting to see it up close with the rye experiment.”

The bottles are set to hit stores this month, and will come at its usual retail suggested cost of $46.75 per 375ml. Reviews are forthcoming. [Buffalo Trace]

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The march of craft beer continues, this time as we take to the friendly skies as Delta begins offering craft beers from various microbrews across the nation. Of course, this upgrade will no doubt come at an upcharge to patrons, who would perhaps prefer the comfort of more legroom than a can of Brooklyn Beer. In response to this new trend, Spirit Airlines is rumored to be considering upgrading its beer selection to include Budweiser at $15 a can. [Gizmodo]

Forbes presents a lengthy interview with Michael Houlihan, co-founder of Barefoot Wines, on the challenges of starting up the company and handling its rise to gradual success. More business-based than anything, but still an interesting read. [Forbes]

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Once again science confirms what barstool wisdom has taught us all along: we evolved with the taste for alcohol, and we’ve been doing it for millions of years. Researchers in Gainesville, Florida, have been able to detect in our ancestral lineage where the ability to product the enzyme to break down alcohol first appeared in our bodies. [AZ Daily Sun]

A. Smith Bowman Distillery has announced a new limited edition vanilla bean-infused whiskey. Aged a total of seven years and six months in the barrel, it is bottled at 90 proof. It’s currently on sale in very limited quantities, mostly available only in Virginia at a suggested retail price of $70. [A. Smith Bowman]

And finally today, for those wishing to smell like single malt wherever they may go, textile developers have “hand crafted” a fabric to permanently smell like whiskey. There are a number of scenarios in which this product could become problematic, but we’re glad the capability to forever smell of peat and smoke now exists. [BBC News]